Have His Conscious
by Ladynero
Summary: Takes place after "To Catch a Duck". Duke's past comes back to haunt him in an unexpected way.


The Mighty Ducks are the property of Disney but the plot is all MINE! This   
story is basically about Duke and everything that hasn't been seen in any of   
the episodes or is a fact due to said episodes is made up by me for a   
hopefully exciting story. Please e-mail me and tell me what you think of   
it. This story takes place after "To Catch A Duck".  
  
Have His Conscious  
By: Tazura Avey  
  
Duke strolled down the corridors on his way back to his quarters   
when a figure clothed in black leaped out of the shadows with his sword   
drawn. Duke instantly recognized his assailant as a member of the Black   
Jade Assassin's Society and the young duck drew his own sword, parrying   
the sweep that was meant to separate his head from his shoulders.  
"You are good," commented the assassin. "My employer will be glad   
that his money was well earned."  
The thief smiled as he blocked the attacks. "Sorry, Black Jade,   
but I don't think this is your lucky day," he growled, the sound of their   
battle echoing through the halls.  
As the two danced around each other with their swords flashing,   
Duke began wondering where the other members of the Brotherhood were. So   
far, their fight had attracted no curious spectators and yet, they   
weren't that far from the living quarters. Shrugging it off for the   
moment, Duke concentrated on breaking through the assassin's defense.  
If this lasts much longer, I'm in BIG trouble, thought the young   
leader of the Brotherhood as he ducked another swipe to the head. For   
several minutes, they fought when the assassin's sword struck Duke's   
beak. Reeling back from the pain, Duke looked up as the assassin   
prepared himself for the killing blow.  
"It will be a shame to kill you," remarked the assassin,   
disappointed. "You are a worthy opponent."  
"NO!" screamed a new voice. Startled, the assassin looked up   
as a pregnant duck slammed into him with her sword out and ready. "You're   
not going to hurt him!" she snarled, her sword held ready.  
Duke struggled to his feet. "Starfire, get out of here NOW!" he  
barked, gripping his own sword tightly. She shook her head, her golden   
hair swirling around her head. "You are way too stubborn for your own   
good!"  
The assassin checked Starfire into the wall and Duke tackled him   
around his waist. The assassin shoved his elbow back into Duke's face,   
the spike on his elbow striking Duke in his eye and forcing him back   
again.   
"You were a fool to interfere in matters that were none of your   
concern, girl!" hissed the assassin, lunging for Starfire. She dodged to   
one side, but his blade sliced her arm. Screaming in pain, she slid down   
the wall and the assassin threw a blade at her, slicing her shoulder.  
"Starfire!" cried Duke, his face twisted with agony. He glared   
at the assassin with his one good eye before attacking with a fury.   
Startled at this attack, the assassin was driven back before Duke tied   
him up with a bolo puck. He crouched next to Starfire and cradled her   
form close to him. "Don't worry," he soothed. "The doctors will help you."  
She coughed and reached up to wiped trickle of blood off of his   
dark gray feathers. "Don't worry about me," she whispered, smiling. Duke   
pushed the fabric away from the cut on her shoulder and gasped. The   
wound was puffy and green from poison. Starfire held up her saber.   
"Take this," she stated, pressing it into his hand. "That way   
I'll always be with you." As Duke watched, Starfire closed her eyes and   
succumbed to the poison.  
"NO!!!" screamed Duke as tears streamed down his face.  
  
Gasping, Duke sat up in bed and turned on the light. His legs   
were tangled in the sheets and sweat had plastered his hair to his   
face. Snarling, Duke untangled his legs and hugged his knees to his   
chest as he tried to stop the tears that ran down his face.  
Why now? he wondered. Why is the nightmare coming back now   
after all this time? It had been a week since Duke had put Fal Cone   
behind bars and helped stop Dragaunus from conquering the Earth.  
Standing up, he walked to his bathroom and splashed cold water   
on his face, washing away both the tears and the sweat. Behind him,   
there was a soft knock at his door and he slipped his eyepatch on as   
he walked over to the door. He blinked in surprise when he found   
Wildwing standing there with a concerned look on his face.  
"Everything all right?" asked the white duck. "I heard you   
yell..."  
Duke nodded. "Just an old nightmare," he replied, sadly. "I   
thought it was over."  
Wildwing smiled, understandingly. "If you ever want to talk   
about it, I'm always willing to listen," he stated before leaving   
Duke alone with his thoughts.  
The ex-thief closed the door and crawled back under his covers.   
Turning out the light, he fell asleep with a single tear escaping his   
good eye.  
  
The next day during practice, a messenger entered the Pond and   
knocked on the Plexiglas to get the ducks' attention. "I have a telegram   
for Duke L'Orange," he called.  
Duke skated over. "You're lookin' at him," he stated. The   
messenger held out a clip board and after Duke signed for the telegram,   
he handed the duck an envelope before leaving. Frowning, Duke opened   
the envelope as the others gathered around and withdrew a piece of paper.  
Duke,  
I will finish what was started with my Black Jade  
Assassin. Either meet me on the cliffs outside of  
Anaheim or you will loose much more than an eye this time.  
  
Growling, Duke skated for the locker room and the note fell   
from his hand, forgotten in his rage. He quickly changed out of his   
hockey gear and tossed everything in his locker before turning to find   
Wildwing blocking his way.  
"Duke, what's going on?" demanded the masked duck, his voice   
showing a mix of anger and surprise.  
"Outta my way, Wildwing," growled Duke, his temper barely   
controlled. "This is personal and doesn't involve the team."  
Wildwing shook his head. "Unless you can give me a better   
explanation than that I can't let you go," he stated firmly.  
Duke shrugged. "Then you leave me no choice," apologized the   
gray duck before slugging Wildwing and knocking him to the floor. "Like   
I said, this is personal." He entered the elevator as the rest of the   
team raced into the locker room. A few minutes later, a lone duckcycle   
burst out of the hidden vehicle ramp and roared through the city on it's   
way to the cliffs.  
Meanwhile, Mallory helped Wildwing off of the locker room floor   
and he rubbed his jaw. "To the Migrator," he ordered, changing into his   
battle gear. "I don't know what's going on, but Duke might need back   
up." They scrambled into place and soon, the Migrator was trailing after   
Duke.  
Duke steered his duckcycle through the streets at a reckless   
speed, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered to him except confronting   
the one who murdered his Starfire. Finally, he pulled to a stop behind   
a lone figure who was staring out over the sea.  
"So good of you to come, chap," greeted Fal Cone as he turned   
around to face Duke, his sword out and ready.  
Duke took off his helmet and threw it to the ground as he drew   
his own saber. "Shut up and fight, murderer," he ordered, lunging at   
Fal Cone. Startled, the falcon raised his sword in time to block Duke's   
blade and the two began dancing around and trading blows. When the   
Migrator pulled up, the other ducks could only stare at the ferocity of   
Duke's attack. They left the Migrator and watched, helpless, as the   
adversaries fought.  
Snarling, Duke slowly pushed Fal Cone back until they were next   
to the edge. They locked blades for a minute and Duke twisted Fal Cone's   
saber out of his hands, sending it flying. Placing his saber point at   
Fal Cone's throat, Duke glared at his opponent.  
"I'm gonna tell you a story, Fal Cone," he announced, pulling out   
a silver saber with diamonds inscribing the letters 'SF' in the guard.   
Fal Cone gasped at the sight of it and Duke smiled, humorlessly. "Good.   
You DO recognize this. The Black Jade you sent after me failed in his   
assignment, but he did kill someone that day. He poisoned Starfire when   
she saved my life, but sadly, she wasn't the only fatality. It seems she   
was four months pregnant with her first child when your assassin showed   
up. But then you wouldn't have know she was married to Darkon and   
expecting since the Brotherhood grapevine doesn't include federal   
prison." His face twisted with rage. "I know killing you won't bring   
her back, but boy would it make me feel good!"  
"Duke, no!" cried Wildwing, rushing over to them and laying a   
hand o Duke's arm. "He's not worth it."  
Duke looked at Wildwing for a few tense minutes before lowering   
his saber. "Get him out of my sight!" he snarled. "If I ever see him   
again, all bet's are off." Turning, Duke walked back to his duckcycle   
and drove back to the Pond. Wildwing tied Fal Cone up and loaded him   
into the Migrator with Grin sitting close by.  
  
Once Fal Cone was securely behind bars again, Wildwing once more   
found himself in front of Duke's door. Reluctantly, he reached up and   
knocked on the metal surface. There was a barely audible 'Come in' and   
Wildwing opened the door to find Duke sitting on his couch with the two   
sabers in his hands.  
"I'd appreciate an explanation," stated the Team Captain. He had   
removed the Mask and changed into civilian clothes.  
Duke shrugged. "You might as well know the full story," he said,   
sadly. "It was five years ago when I was heading for my apartments in   
the Brotherhood and a Black Jade assassin jumped me. For several minutes   
we fought when he got lucky and nicked my beak. I stumbled back and the   
assassin was ready to end my career then when Starfire checked him into   
the wall before drawing her own saber. Being pregnant didn't stop her any   
and there was no way I could get her out of there. The assassin shoved   
her into the wall and I tackled him, which he rewarded me by shoving his   
elbow spike into my eye. Turning he threw a knife at Starfire and sliced   
her shoulder. Furious, I managed to beat him back and tied him up before   
I could even think about helping her. Too late, I remembered that the   
Black Jades dip their throwing knives in poison and there was nothing   
I could do for either of them."  
Wildwing watched Duke. "There's more to this than that," he   
said in an encouraging tone.  
Duke smiled slightly. "Starfire was the nickname I gave her   
when we were both children," he stated. "Her real name was Lady   
L'Orange and she was my younger sister. We made each other's sabers when   
we both joined the Brotherhood and in my hilt, she sealed one of her   
feathers in it. Said that way she would always be with me no matter   
where I was." He held up the two sabers. "And now these are all I have   
left of the only family I ever knew."  
The younger duck laid a comforting hand on the ex-thief's   
shoulder. Before he could say anything, an alarm ripped through the   
Pond and both ducks scrambled for the door. In his haste, Duke dropped   
the silver saber on the couch and replaced his on his shoulder. As he   
did so, a giggle no louder than a whisper echoed through his room and   
Duke glanced around startled before shrugging.  
"I'm always with you, brother," whispered a soft voice as Duke   
left the room to join his team mates.  
  
The end.  
  
Comments? Suggestions? Flames? Please e-mail. I don't know if anyone   
likes my stories because I never get any response saying whether they're   
great or the worst things anyone has ever read. 


End file.
